South Sudan In Focus - Voice of Americahttps://www.voanews.com/archive/south-sudan-in-focus/latest/672/1465.html
A 30-minute weekday program covering rapidly changing developments in the new nation of South Sudan and the region. https://www.voanews.com/Content/responsive/VOA/en-US/img/logo.pngSouth Sudan In Focus - Voice of Americahttps://www.voanews.com/archive/south-sudan-in-focus/latest/672/1465.html
en2018 - VOA60Tue, 14 Aug 2018 17:21:41 -0400Pangea CMS – VOAAnalysts Warn of Overly Bloated South Sudan GovernmentSouth Sudan's government and opposition groups have begun the process of implementing the peace agreement signed last week. But some analysts warn it will be difficult to maintain the bloated government for three years.
South Sudanese leaders will have a three-year transitional period to put the country on a path toward peace and resettle its people, both those who fled the country and those internally displaced.
During the transition period, the country will be run by a government that includes five vice presidents, 35 cabinet ministers, and 550 legislators.
Deo Gumba, a researcher with the Institute for Security Studies, said countries and international organizations will find it difficult to fund and maintain such a bloated government.
"It will require a lot of support from donors and from international partners to ensure that this bloated government works," he explained. "The transition period of three years is quite a long time.They usually say one day is a long time in politics and therefore three years for a transition will be a very long time indeed to be able to do things that would change the situation quickly because the longer it stays, the more things are likely to remain the same."
James Okuk, a political science lecturer at the University of Juba, sees the transition going longer than three years.
"If a lot of things are not put in place," he said, "it could be extended for few months, especially if election preparation need some more time.They could extend it to even four years. So it's not a big deal because a lot has been destroyed in South Sudan, you need a real transitional period where you can put things to order."
As part of implementing the peace agreement, South Sudanese President Salva Kiir on Thursday granted amnesty to rebel leader Riek Machar and other opposition leaders.
Some regional observers have welcomed the renewed effort to end South Sudan's civil war, but Okuk said a lot needs to be done to change people's behavior in solving their differences.
"The mentality that has developed during this time of conflict — that mentality has created a culture of war, culture of violence," he said. "So there is a lot of work to be done to reset that mentality of the people so that they can adopt the culture of peace and the can resort to the rule of law in case of any differences or any difficulties."
South Sudan has been mired in civil war since December 2013. The United Nations says the war has driven more than four million people from their homes, with more than two million living as refugees in nearby countries.
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https://www.voanews.com/a/analysts-warn-of-overly-bloated-south-sudan-government/4523069.htmlFri, 10 Aug 2018 13:50:26 -0400AfricaSouth Sudan In Focus webdesk@voanews.com (Mohammed Yusuf)https://www.voanews.com/a/analysts-warn-of-overly-bloated-south-sudan-government/4523069.html#commentsUS Cheers South Sudan’s Progress Toward Peace, Expects 'Long Process' While the Trump administration applauds this week's progress in South Sudan's peace talks, it expects that ending nearly five years of civil war and rebuilding confidence in the eastern African nation's governance will be "a long process," the top U.S. diplomat there says.
"We're excited about the progress made so far," said Thomas Hushek, U.S. ambassador to South Sudan. "And we're really hoping that the parties stick to their efforts to come to the table, compromise where necessary, uphold their commitments first and foremost to the cease-fire, and then start working on ways to resolve remaining issues of conflict" so they can sign a final peace agreement.
The peace talks are "at a very critical stage," he acknowledged in an exclusive interview Thursday at the U.S. embassy here with VOA's "South Sudan in Focus" radio program.
On Sunday, South Sudan's President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar signed a power-sharing pact that will restore Machar as the first of several vice presidents in a transitional government of national unity. Machar, who leads the Sudan People's Liberation Movement-in-Opposition (SPLM-IO), has been in exile in South Africa.
Hushek said the U.S. government would take what he calls “tough measures” against people who either obstruct the peace process or divert public funds for war rather than peace.
In September, the U.S. Treasury Department imposed sanctions on three people closely affiliated with Kiir for "their roles in threatening the peace, security or stability of South Sudan," it said in a statement. Three companies also were sanctioned.
Asked what it might take to lift sanctions, Hushek said that if the transitional government rebuilds public confidence and proves itself trustworthy, "I think you would start to see some changes."
South Sudan gained independence from neighboring Sudan in 2011. But ethnic violence erupted in 2013 over a power struggle between Kiir and Machar. The fighting has left tens of thousands of South Sudanese dead and dislodged millions from their homes.
The United States, South Sudan's biggest single benefactor, has allocated $481 million in humanitarian funding for fiscal 2018 for refugees there and in neighboring countries, according to the U.S. Agency for International Development. It has spent more than $3.4 billion since 2013.
For Hushek, "one of the first barometers" of peace prospects is "whether people are upholding the ceasefire," he said. "And, in fact, there's been a reduction in violence on the ground.
"There are still other things that I'm a bit concerned about," the diplomat acknowledged. "I think recruitment is continuing into various militias, and that's something that doesn't necessarily bode well."
As Hushek said early in the interview, "The ultimate yardstick of whether or not there is success in the peace process is whether they can set up a system that resolves conflicts through peaceful means, without resorting to arms."
Hushek, a career Foreign Service officer, was appointed ambassador in May after serving as acting assistant secretary for the U.S. State Department's Bureau of Conflict and Stabilization Operations.
Q&A account
The following transcript of the ambassador's interview with VOA has been lightly edited for clarity and context.
VOA: What is the U.S. government's position on the latest South Sudan power-sharing agreement reached in Khartoum?
Hushek: Well, the peace talks are ongoing and they're at a very critical stage. So we're excited about the progress made so far, and we're really hoping that the parties stick to their efforts to come to the table, be willing to compromise where necessary, uphold their commitments first and foremost to the cease-fire, and then start working on ways to resolve remaining issues of conflict.
… The ultimate yardstick of whether or not there is success in the peace process is whether they can set up a system that resolves conflicts through peaceful means, without resorting to arms.
VOA: If the warring parties sign a final peace agreement and the government of national unity is formed, what measures are the U.S. and other countries in the international community putting in place to prevent, you know, the July 2016 scenario? [That month, clashes between armed government and opposition forces in the capital, Juba, killed at least 300 people.]
It is a revitalization of the old peace agreement. … [These are] some of the reasons everybody remains concerned and kind of wonder, how will we make it work this time?
One of the first barometers that we look at is whether people are upholding the cease-fire. And in fact, there's been a reduction in violence on the ground. There are still other things that I'm a bit concerned about. I think recruitment is continuing into various militias, and that's something that doesn't necessarily bode well.
But I really think that with this progress already made in Khartoum, you really are hearing a change in the way people are describing what are the next steps. A lot of people are talking about confidence-building. So we know the government and the [SPLM-IO opposition party] both have to build the confidence of their constituencies that they're moving in the right direction. The people of South Sudan have to have confidence in this process.
Similarly … are there things that the government or the future unity government and the international community can do to build confidence in each other?
Again, [the] first thing is the peace process. Can we see very visible steps that the government is helping us remove impediments to humanitarian assistance? Are there active consultations by the government or by the opposition with civil society? Those are the kinds of things that will build confidence in the international community and the process.
VOA: The U.S. government sometimes slapped sanctions on South Sudanese individuals accused of obstructing the peace process and the companies thought to be fueling the conflict here. If a final peace agreement is signed, and a government of national unity is formed, how long is it going to take to lift these sanctions? And under what conditions?
Well, again, the signing of an agreement isn't the final step in the process, of course. … Even the transition period set up by the first chapters of this agreement talk about a three-year period or three years plus a pre-transition period. So it could drag on. And I would emphasize that peace – building peace – will take even longer than that. It will have to continue even after elections (originally set for July 2018, they have yet to be rescheduled). …
[The peace process] won't be triggered immediately with a piece of paper, but that's of course an important first step, a necessary first step. So if we continue to see people seriously obstructing the peace process or diverting the people's money from the people's needs and into war, rather than peace and development, then we will continue to take tough measures.
If this confidence I was telling you about is resurrected, I think you would start to see some changes.
VOA: Since fighting flared up in Juba in July 2016, the U.S. government has focused more on providing humanitarian assistance rather than development assistance. What’s going to happen once final signatures are on the agreement?
Since the conflict started at the end of 2013, you’ve seen this very deliberate and necessary shift from what was a huge development effort to what is now humanitarian needs.
These are humanitarian needs that are not caused by a flood or a drought or an earthquake. These are caused by people – namely the leaders of the government and the opposition who have gotten into a civil war. And the war has included direct attacks on civilians, massive displacement, and has put [an] incredible number of people in severe humanitarian needs. So by necessity, we’ve had to shift an incredible amount of resources to humanitarian assistance.
If that ceasefire holds, if people start feeling they have the confidence that security will stay in their region, then they can start concentrating on development. Then I think if that holds, you will see a gradual shift back. You know, when the humanitarian needs go down, there will be the ability to focus a lot more on development.
VOA: You mentioned the cease-fire. I was wondering [what] the U.S. government is doing to respect to the agreement on silencing the guns.
Well, of course, the primary responsibility remains with the parties themselves. … Also, we were convinced that the outside countries – the neighbors, the broader international community – could have done more to enforce the cease-fire agreement.
The outside world has to measure the changes on the ground. Are the parties actually implementing the things they agreed to in the cease-fire or not? So, monitoring is important and [so is] enforcement.
If there are people [who] are breaking the peace agreement, what do we do about it? Some of that enforcement – again, the responsibility does and should rest on the shoulders of the actual leaders, the government or the opposition.
If a commander initiates an attack or an atrocity against civilians … the leaders should take steps to pull that commander aside, take action to affect discipline.
But the international community as well – and this is an IGAD [Inter-Governmental Authority on Development] agreement – needs to take steps to impose consequences on people that are violating the cease-fire agreement.
VOA's Carol Van Dam Falk and Carol Guensburg contributed to this report.
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https://www.voanews.com/a/us-cheers-south-sudan-peace-progress-expects-long-process/4522096.htmlThu, 09 Aug 2018 19:10:32 -0400USAAfricaSouth Sudan In Focus webdesk@voanews.com (Charlton Doki)https://www.voanews.com/a/us-cheers-south-sudan-peace-progress-expects-long-process/4522096.html#commentsKiir Gives Amnesty to Opposition Groups Opposition politicians’ reactions are mixed regarding South Sudan President Salva Kiir’s decision to give amnesty to rebel leader Riek Machar and other groups who have been fighting to topple his government for years.
One official with the National Salvation Front said his group did not recognize the amnesty offer, calling Kiir’s administration “illegitimate.”
Peace talks continue
Speaking from Khartoum where the South Sudan peace talks continue, General Nathaniel Oyet Pierino, head of the SPLM-IO’s governance committee, told South Sudan in Focus that Kiir must also free political opponents.
"We want this to be accompanied by the release of all political detainees, the release of all prisoners of war. We will only believe that there is a change in attitude if we see all these South Sudanese who are currently under detention by the regime go free and unconditionally,” Oyet told VOA.
He also called on the government to release hundreds of detained SPLM-IO supporters, including civil society activists.
"We have those who were abducted from Nairobi, Kenya. We have our former spokesperson, James Gadtet. We have Samuel Dong Luak. We have Agrrey Idri. We have Marko Lotpiyo. ... We have Peter Sule. We have all these under government detention,” Oyet said.
Amnesty offer in place
The president’s amnesty offer went into effect as it was being announced on state television and radio Wednesday night.
Kiir reiterated his order that the army observe the permanent cease-fire that was agreed to in the security arrangement signed in Khartoum last month and to fight only in self-defense. In addition, Kiir ordered the army and all other military forces to allow aid workers unfettered access to people in need of humanitarian assistance across South Sudan.
Yien Mathew, a senior member of the National Salvation Front, or NAS, said the government lacks authority to pardon NAS.
“We can only believe in a government which is people-centered, which is answerable. There are so many civilians in the camps today, even around Juba. If there is a people’s government, why should people still stay in the camps, even in their state capital? This at least is a good signal that the government is not people-centered, and the people are fearing the government itself,” Mathew told South Sudan in Focus.
Much to be decided
Kiir’s amnesty offer followed the recent power-sharing and governance deal in Khartoum, which paves the way for a final peace agreement by all parties, to be decided in the future.
Some opposition groups “bracketed” parts of the power sharing they did not agree with, such as the number of states and positions of power at the state and local levels.
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https://www.voanews.com/a/kiir-gives-amnesty-to-opposition-groups/4522014.htmlThu, 09 Aug 2018 18:33:14 -0400AfricaSouth Sudan In Focus webdesk@voanews.com (Waakhe Simon Wudu)https://www.voanews.com/a/kiir-gives-amnesty-to-opposition-groups/4522014.html#commentsSouth Sudan's Kiir Grants Pardon to Bitter Rival, All RebelsSouth Sudanese President Salva Kiir has granted a blanket amnesty to rival Riek Machar and other rebels.
The decree, announced Thursday on South Sudan's state-run radio and television, took effect Wednesday, just three days after Kiir and Machar signed a power-sharing deal in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum aimed at ending a five-year civil war.
South Sudan gained independence from neighboring Sudan in 2011, but in late 2013 erupted into violence over a power struggle between Kiir and Machar, the vice president. The fighting has left tens of thousands of South Sudanese dead and forced millions of the country's citizens to flee their homes.
The new pact will see Machar return from exile in South Africa as the first of five vice presidents under a transitional government of national unity.
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-kiir-grants-pardon-to-bitter-rival-all-rebels/4520168.html
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-kiir-grants-pardon-to-bitter-rival-all-rebels/4520168.htmlThu, 09 Aug 2018 10:12:12 -0400AfricaSouth Sudan In Focus webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-kiir-grants-pardon-to-bitter-rival-all-rebels/4520168.html#commentsS. Sudan Opposition Urges Focus on Power-Sharing DealSome South Sudan opposition parties that signed a power-sharing deal in Khartoum say they did so to give peace a chance even though they disagree with some of the agreement’s provisions.
However, the Intergovernmental Authority on Development, an African trade bloc that brokered the peace process, issued a press release Tuesday in which it said Sudanese mediators, including President Omar Hassan al-Bashir, would continue facilitating the talks until a revitalized peace agreement for South Sudan was finally signed.
According to the IGAD statement, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta will send a team of experts to support the continuation of the peace process in Khartoum. There had been reports the talks would possibly be moved to another location.
Group not happy with agreement
Bangasi Joseph Bakosoro, leader of the South Sudan National Movement for Change, said the South Sudan Opposition Alliance and the Former Detainees group initially did not want to sign the deal on Sunday because some of their demands had not been met in the Khartoum agreement, such as reverting to the original 10 states, down from the current 32 states.
Bakosoro said his group agreed to sign the deal only after Sudanese Foreign Minister Al-Dirdiri Mohammed Ahmed informed the group, in writing, that as a chief mediator, he would reopen discussions on the outstanding issues in the next round of talks.
“Most of us did not like to sign the agreement. That is a given fact. But ... we are waiting to start debate on the outstanding issues,” Bakosoro told VOA's South Sudan in Focus.
No date has been announced as to when discussions on the outstanding issues will resume.
The South Sudan Opposition Alliance and the Former Detainees group have raised concerns about a provision in the deal that provides for the creation of an Independent Boundaries Commission to determine the number of states in South Sudan.
Bakasoro said his group, which is part of the South Sudan Opposition Alliance, agreed to sign the deal only with the caveat that such issues would be resolved in a timely fashion.
“That made us sign the agreement, and we are hoping that in the near future we are going to finalize the outstanding issues and complete the High Level Revitalization Forum [as the peace talks are known], and then we wait for the final signing,” Bakasoro told VOA.
'Other opposition parties'
Peter Mayen, head of the People's Liberal Party, part of a group referred to as the “other opposition parties,” said his group agreed to sign the deal with the same understanding. He said the success or failure of the agreement would depend on whether it was fully implemented.
“South Sudanese really are in dire need of peace irrespective of the positions of the parties, irrespective of outstanding issues. People want the guns to go silent, people want opportunities to rebuild the economy and people want to impact in a genuine democratic transformation,” Mayen told South Sudan in Focus.
Mayen said once a final deal was signed, all parties must work to provide basic services to the South Sudanese people.
The armed opposition group known as the National Salvation Front (NAS), led by a former deputy army chief of staff, General Thomas Cirillo, declined to sign the agreement. He told South Sudan in Focus on Tuesday that the NAS had not authorized any person to sign the deal on its behalf.
NAS disputed signature
Major General Julius Tabuley Daniel, who declared himself the interim chairman of NAS, signed the deal, but Cirillo said Tabuley was not a legitimate representative of NAS.
“You have a few individuals who are not satisfied with [what] NAS is doing in terms of this peace process, because, for them, they just want to go to Juba. Maybe they are tired and for their own reasons they decided to leave NAS,” Cirilolo told South Sudan in Focus.
He said three or four individuals have been in contact with security authorities in Juba “to cause problems within NAS” and traveled to Khartoum to take part in the talks. “They represent themselves,” he said, not the NAS.
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-opposition-parties-urge-issues-with-power-sharing-deal-be-resolved/4518272.html
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-opposition-parties-urge-issues-with-power-sharing-deal-be-resolved/4518272.htmlTue, 07 Aug 2018 21:28:46 -0400AfricaSouth Sudan In Focus webdesk@voanews.com (Michael Atit, John Tanza)Juba Residents Celebrate South Sudan Governance Deal Thousands of people, including women, traditional chiefs and youth, gathered Monday at Juba International Airport to welcome South Sudan President Salva Kiir back from Khartoum after a power-sharing deal was signed with rebel and opposition groups.
On Sunday, Kiir, rebel leader Riek Machar and representatives of other opposition groups signed a deal in Sudan in the presence of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir, Ugandan President Yoweri Museveni, Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta and Djibouti President Ismail Oma Ghuelleh.
The deal will see Machar return as the first of five vice presidents under a transitional government of national unity.
At the airport Monday, many people carried banners praising Kiir, describing him as "a hero of peace," while others proudly waved the South Sudan flag. The Jurchol community and other groups performed traditional dances at the airport.
While many citizens celebrated, some Juba residents such as Deng Bol stressed the need for their leaders to implement the agreement effectively.
"Now that everyone is given a position, they should use those positions to serve the people of South Sudan, and it will be the people of South Sudan who will judge who is a good servant of the people. The other thing that we want is to make sure there is unity and common purpose among the leaders of South Sudan. If they don't do that, they will have a problem with the citizens, because we have seen how people have suffered," Bol said.
On Sunday, news of the signing sparked spontaneous celebrations across the country, with many Juba residents dashing into the streets where they ululated and chanted peace slogans. Motorists honked their horns as they drove through the capital with traditional and pop music blaring from their cars.
Juba resident Clement Kau said he hopes the agreement leads to a better way of life for most South Sudanese.
"We South Sudanese, we need peace to come here so that things can change, in terms of development, road construction and even food security. I am one of the people who is very happy to join this celebration today," Kau told the VOA radio program South Sudan in Focus.
Juba resident Joseph Ochalle agreed.
"When there was peace last time, people were stable, and the situation was fine, there was no economic crisis. But when the war broke out in 2013, everything falls apart," he said.
Residents like Deng Achol fear that government and rebel forces will clash again once they return to South Sudan.
"If they are outside, they are friends. If they are here in South Sudan, they become enemies. I want to tell them that citizens are tired of you, and this is the last hope for you guys. If you come and fail this peace, then all citizens will rise [up] and call for the international community to come and rescue us," he said.
Juba resident Suzy Anthony thinks everybody, including South Sudan's political leaders, are weary of war.
"In 2016, we didn't get a lot of suffering like the one we have now in 2018. We have learned that tribalism cannot take us forward. We have learned that corruption cannot take us forward. We have also learned that the war has made all of us poor," Anthony told VOA.
The warring parties have agreed to continue discussing details on security arrangements and implementation modalities in Khartoum before signing a final peace agreement.
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https://www.voanews.com/a/juba-residents-celebrate-south-sudan-governance-deal/4516277.htmlMon, 06 Aug 2018 19:22:48 -0400South Sudan In Focus webdesk@voanews.com (Waakhe Simon Wudu, Dimo Silva)https://www.voanews.com/a/juba-residents-celebrate-south-sudan-governance-deal/4516277.html#commentsSouth Sudan Peace Deal Can Work – if Leaders Can CooperateSouth Sudan leaders agreed to end hostilities Sunday in the latest attempt to end the country’s five-year civil war, which has killed tens of thousands of people. Some analysts say the deal will succeed only if the country's political leaders can finally find a way to work together.
South Sudanese leaders have once again agreed to end the war and work towards peace. East African head of states gathered Sunday in Khartoum to witness the signing of a new peace deal between the government of President Salva Kiir, rebel leader Riek Machar and other opposition groups.
The sides all agreed to end hostilities and to work together in a transitional government scheduled to last for three years.
Speaking in Khartoum Sunday, Kenya’s President Uhuru Kenyatta congratulated the political leaders of South Sudan.
“I commend all of you for concluding the discussion on the critical issue of security and governance," said Kenyatta. "These two are critical for peace and stability in South Sudan. We stand with you because today history beacons you to seize the opportunity offered here in Khartoum to marshal your commitment and drive and claim the future of South Sudan as one people.”
The agreement returns Riek Machar from exile to the post of first vice president, and four more vice presidents will also be appointed. The document signed by the leaders says the president will collaborate, but will have duties and powers in accordance with a 2015 peace deal.
The 2015 agreement allows the president to consult with people like Machar, but final decisions rest with Kiir.
Kwaje Lasu is a spokesman for the South Sudan Opposition Alliance, which consists of nine parties. His group also signed the peace deal. He says good governance can save the deal.
“It's not even that long as an independent nation, but we have been through a lot, and our people have suffered. But because of those pillars that are holding the building is very weak, what I mean by that institutional reforms, justice, and accountability, the rule of law, giving the people what they deserve in terms of governance all this component of the government determine the viability of this agreement,” said Lasu.
Political observers in the region have questioned the will of Kiir and Machar to work together in peace.
The 2015 peace deal collapsed just a year later when a flare-up of violence in Juba left hundreds dead and prompted Machar to flee the country.
Commentator Fulbert Namwamba says without adequate security it will be difficult for Machar to work.
“Machar would like to work with Kiir, but the problem is that the circumstances under which he left Juba is such that there have to be a guarantee that he can bring his army to Juba and then he has to be within his barrack, otherwise he becomes a sitting duck in a country that is unpredictable,” said Namwamba.
The civil war has uprooted more than 4 million South Sudanese civilians from their homes.
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https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-peace-deal-can-work-if-leaders-can-cooperate/4515568.htmlMon, 06 Aug 2018 11:55:57 -0400AfricaSouth Sudan In Focus webdesk@voanews.com (Mohammed Yusuf)https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-peace-deal-can-work-if-leaders-can-cooperate/4515568.html#commentsS. Sudan's Warring Leaders Sign Peace Deal to Share PowerSouth Sudan's warring parties signed a peace deal on Sunday in the latest attempt to end the country's five-year civil war, which has killed tens of thousands and displaced millions.
President Salva Kiir and former Vice-President and rebel opposition leader, Riek Machar signed the agreement, said Sudan's state news agency, SUNA.
As part of the deal, Kiir will remain president and Machar will return to the country as the First Vice President, one of five vice presidents. There will be an eight month pre-transitional period led by Kiir, followed by a three year transitional period. The government will include 20 ministers from Kiir's party, nine from Machar's and six from other groups, said the agreement.
This is the latest of several attempts at peace agreements and cease-fires since war broke out in 2013. The first peace agreement fell apart in July 2016 when fighting erupted in the capital Juba and Machar fled the country on foot. He's since been under house arrest in South Africa.
South Sudan's government insists this time things will be different between the two leaders and Machar has "learned the hard way'' and has promised to work with Kiir because he doesn't want to go back to South Africa, said government spokesman, Michael Makuei, at a press conference in Juba last week. Upon his return, Machar's troops are to go to cantonment sites for training to be unified with the government army, he said.
At least one South Sudan expert is calling the deal "a high-risk model" for trying to end the conflict.
"In 2013, Riek competed to replace Kiir and Kiir violently expelled him. In 2016, Riek competed to replace Kiir and Kiir violently expelled him. Both events led to large-scale atrocities. This peace deal sets up the exact same scenario for the third time,'' said Alan Boswell a South Sudan conflict analyst. ``When it fails, it fails explosively."
Multiple cease-fires have been signed in recent years, all of which have been violated within hours of being implemented. The international community's patience has been waning with the young nation and last month the U.N. Security Council imposed an arms embargo.
In July South Sudan's parliament extended the government's mandate until 2021, angering the opposition, which said the government was "playing games" at the negotiating table.
Feelings in the nation remain mixed. "Of course peace will come, because we're tired of war," said Juba resident Santino Deng.
Some rights groups applaud the deal, but cautioning that it's only a first step.
"To prevent a return to war, the agreement must ensure that overwhelming power is not concentrated in a few hands," said Brian Adeba, deputy director of policy at the Enough Project, a Washington-based advocacy group.
Edmund Yakani, executive director of Community Empowerment for Progress Organization, a local rights group called the deal a positive development, but said he's not fully convinced.
"The challenge is the will the political leaders and we are expecting them to take primary responsibility for making peace happen in South Sudan,'' he said.
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https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-s-warring-leaders-sign-peace-deal-to-share-power/4514628.htmlSun, 05 Aug 2018 13:48:20 -0400AfricaSouth Sudan In Focus webdesk@voanews.com (Associated Press)South Sudan President to Sign Revised Power-sharing DealSouth Sudanese President Salva Kiir said Friday he plans to sign a final power-sharing deal with rebels and other opposition groups intended to end the country's nearly five-year civil war.
Earlier, Sudanese Foreign Minister Mohamed Al Dirdiri arrived in Juba to discuss what he called "bilateral issues" with Kiir and South Sudanese Foreign Minister Nhial Deng Nhial.
Al-Dirdiri, the chief mediator of the ongoing peace talks, told VOA's South Sudan in Focus he expects all parties to sign an agreement in Sudan's capital, Khartoum, on Sunday.
Most of South Sudan's warring parties signed a preliminary power-sharing deal late last month which would reinstate rebel leader Riek Machar as first vice president. But some opposition groups rejected the agreement.
After speaking to al-Dirdiri on Friday, Kiir told journalists he is ready to sign a power-sharing deal with all opposition parties and this time believes it will be upheld.
"I believe that this agreement will continue to be implemented with spirit and letter. And so whoever signs this agreement will remain committed to it and this is what will be surprising the whole world," said Kiir.
The president said he made some compromises with opposition groups because he wants the agreement to hold. He said he has no reservations about the Khartoum agreement, unlike the peace deal he signed in 2015 that "was forced on us," he said Friday.
While insisting he is fully committed to implementing a new deal, the president acknowledged the huge challenges that lie ahead for his government, including how to manage a planned 550 lawmakers, 35 ministries, and five vice presidents.
"One person needs [a] motorcade, maybe five vehicles. Where will I get this quickly? They also need accommodation. Where will I accommodate them. Also they need offices to work. Where will I get offices? So there are many things needed to be accomplished before these people enter Juba here," Kiir said.
One possible holdout
One armed opposition group, the National Salvation Front, led by Thomas Cirillo Swaka, said it will not sign a peace deal that fails to guarantee a federal system of governance in South Sudan.
The group's information secretary, Jalphan Samson, said if arguments over the number of states or holding a referendum are not resolved, his group will refuse to sign the deal.
"We don't want to cheat ourselves and we don't want to cheat our people ... If the thing is solved before the signing, we will sign but if there is something, we will not sign with reservations because if I sign with reservations, that means I did not agree on that," Samson told VOA.
He said the National Salvation Front believes South Sudan's future transitional government should revert back to the original 10 states instead of the current 32, which he calls unconstitutional.
Samson also said the federal system of governance should be introduced immediately during the transitional period, allowing everyone to have a voice in government.
"Our position is we want every individual South Sudanese must get his right in this agreement. That is why we don't want to make agreement and others feel that they are betrayed," Samson said.
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-president-to-sign-revised-power-sharing-deal/4513020.html
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-president-to-sign-revised-power-sharing-deal/4513020.htmlFri, 03 Aug 2018 16:43:37 -0400AfricaSouth Sudan In Focus webdesk@voanews.com (Waakhe Simon Wudu, Michael Atit)https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-president-to-sign-revised-power-sharing-deal/4513020.html#commentsSouth Sudan Arrests Prominent Economist and Critic Arrested, Wife SaysSouth Sudanese authorities have arrested a prominent economist and critic of both the government and rebels, his wife said on Tuesday, the latest activist to be rounded up in the war-torn state.
Nyathon James Hoth said her husband Peter Biar Ajak, a country director for the London School of Economics’ International Growth Center and a former World Bank economist, was seized by officers from the National Security Service on Saturday in the capital Juba.
Biar has been critical of the way both President Salva Kiir and his former-deputy-turned-rebel-leader Riek Machar have conducted peace talks, which have concluded with several agreements that were repeatedly violated by both sides.
“There is no official information from the authorities why he was arrested. We are hopeful today we will be able to meet them to know exactly why he’s been detained,” Hoth told Reuters.
A police spokesman said he was not aware of Biar’s arrest. Officials from the National Security Service were not immediately reachable for comment.
Information Minister Michael Makuei declined to give details, telling reporters: “Whoever has been arrested, there must be a reason. I don’t know the reason for his arrest.”
Jonathan Leape, Executive Director of the International Growth Center, said: “We call on the government to either file formal charges against Peter Biar or promptly release him.”
Biar was involved in peace and reconciliation efforts in South Sudan, which slid into civil war in 2013 after Kiir fell out with Machar.
Fighting has devastated the country’s oil-based economy. Tens of thousands of people have been killed and at least 4 million people displaced.
In February, the U.N. Mission in South Sudan accused the government of stifling coverage of one of the world’s biggest humanitarian crises, saying scores of journalists and rights activists had been killed or arrested and newspapers closed.
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-arrests-prominent-economist-and-critic-wife-says/4507559.html
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-arrests-prominent-economist-and-critic-wife-says/4507559.htmlTue, 31 Jul 2018 12:18:07 -0400AfricaSouth Sudan In Focus webdesk@voanews.com (Reuters)South Sudan Foes Sign Preliminary Peace DealSouth Sudan's government and main rebel group have signed a preliminary power-sharing deal aimed at ending the country's nearly five-year civil war.
However, a coalition of nine opposition parties has refused to sign the document, saying their suggestions for the deal were ignored.
The agreement, seen by VOA News, leaves President Salva Kiir as head of a transitional government while returning rebel chief Riek Machar to his previous position as first vice president.
It also calls for creation of a 550-person transitional national legislature and the appointment of another four vice presidents, one of whom will be a woman.
The agreement was signed in Sudan's capital, Khartoum on Wednesday. The government and Machar's group reached a separate peace deal in 2015 but the agreement collapsed a year later amid a flare-up of deadly violence in the South Sudanese capital, Juba.
The East African bloc IGAD mediated the talks leading to the latest agreement.
The civil war broke out just two years after South Sudan gained independence from Sudan in 2011. Fighting has led to widespread hunger and prompted nearly 2.5 million South Sudanese to flee the country. Another two million are displaced internally.
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-foes-sign-preliminary-peace-deal/4499494.html
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-foes-sign-preliminary-peace-deal/4499494.htmlWed, 25 Jul 2018 14:41:17 -0400AfricaSouth Sudan In Focus webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-foes-sign-preliminary-peace-deal/4499494.html#commentsSouth Sudan Criticizes White House StatementThe South Sudan government on Monday criticized a White House statement that condemned South Sudan’s move to extend the government’s mandate by another three years and demanded the country’s leaders be sincere as they negotiate a peace agreement.
In a statement released Sunday by White House Press Secretary Sarah Huckabee Sanders, the U.S. called on South Sudanese leaders to commit to negotiations that include civil society, church, women and other groups that have been excluded. The statement said a “narrow agreement between elites” will only “sow the seeds of another cycle of conflict.”
The White House statement said President Salva Kiir and rebel leader Riek Machar have not shown the leadership required to bring “genuine peace” to the country, and that the U.S. “would not be a guarantor, a funder or an advocate for additional U.N. resources to support the transitional government if the leaders do not show a commitment to peace, good governance and financial accountability.”
Sanders also warned in her statement that additional sanctions are on the table for persons “engaged in corrupt activity” or for those who threaten the country’s peace.
The South Sudan government Monday criticized the White House statement, saying it is the kind rebuke that should never be directed to a U.S. ally like South Sudan.
In an exclusive interview with "South Sudan In Focus," South Sudan Foreign Affairs Ministry spokesman Mawien Makol described the statement as unhelpful and harsh.
“We need the language which is supporting this kind of commitment and I think this is what the U.S. should be doing, urging us to really continue to doing what we are really doing, but it will not derail us from our commitment,” Makol said.
Makol strongly denied that South Sudan’s negotiators meeting in Khartoum, Sudan, were preparing to sign a peace-sharing agreement that is not inclusive.
“They have to come in here with details about the lack of commitment they are talking about, because we are seeing these men are sitting together, laughing together and demonstrating that they can work together, so what else can you say about this kind of commitment?” Makol told South Sudan in Focus.
Makol said the Kiir administration is well aware of the suffering the conflict has caused on innocent civilians and will work with the rebels and other opposition groups to restore peace and stability.
But he said the White House statement has tarnished the image of his government.
“It shows to the world that the government is not committed, when you are committed to do something then somebody comes and say that if you don’t do it then you will face this and that. That doesn’t help in the diplomatic arena,” Makol told VOA.
Violence broke out in South Sudan in late 2013 amid a political power struggle between President Kiir and Machar, who fled the country in 2015 when a fresh wave of fighting erupted in the capital Juba between government forces and Machar’s bodyguards.
Last week, the U.S. pushed for and received a U.N. Security Council arms embargo. Juba condemned the resolution authorizing the embargo.
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-criticizes-white-house-statement/4495282.html
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-criticizes-white-house-statement/4495282.htmlMon, 23 Jul 2018 16:40:04 -0400AfricaSouth Sudan In Focus webdesk@voanews.com (Waakhe Simon Wudu)US 'Deeply Concerned' Over South Sudan Peace ProcessThe United States is expressing deep concern about the direction of the peace process in South Sudan, saying President Salva Kiir and opposition leader Riek Machar "have not demonstrated the leadership required to bring genuine peace and accountable governance" to the nation.
"We remain skeptical that they can oversee a peaceful and timely transition to democracy and good governance," a statement by White House Press Secretary Sarah Sanders said about Kiir and Machar.
South Sudan gained independence from neighboring Sudan in 2011, but in late 2013 erupted into violence over a power struggle between President Kiir and his former deputy, Machar. Several cease-fires have been violated.
The warring parities, meeting in Khartoum last week, failed to agree to a power sharing deal.
"The South Sudanese people deserve an end to the violence and a future marked by prosperity and freedom from fear. We remain committed to supporting the South Sudanese people and to saving lives, and we continue to share their aspirations for a peaceful and prosperous tomorrow," White House Press Secretary Sanders said.
https://www.voanews.com/a/white-house-says-skeptical-s-sudan-leaders-can-oversee-transition-to-democracy/4493160.html
https://www.voanews.com/a/white-house-says-skeptical-s-sudan-leaders-can-oversee-transition-to-democracy/4493160.htmlSun, 22 Jul 2018 09:19:40 -0400AfricaSouth Sudan In Focus webdesk@voanews.com (VOA News)South Sudan Foes Fail to Reach Power-Sharing DealThe South Sudanese warring parties meeting in Khartoum on Wednesday failed to agree to a power-sharing deal.
South Sudan Information Minister Michael Makuei said the government agreed to create five vice president positions, including a first vice president, but opposition members rejected the proposal.
“Some few members from SSOA [South Sudan Opposition Alliance] were saying that it is not what they want. They want to see a very small, lean [government],” said Edmond Yakani, a member of the civil society delegation attending the talks.
Yakani said distrust between the parties made them unwilling to compromise. He also said some delegates are still putting their personal interests first, hoping to be included in the slate of Cabinet positions being discussed.
“You bring for them draft, the first thing they rush [for] is the numbers. What are the numbers, how is the numbers distributed, regardless of whether those numbers can help. This politics of numbers is very strong among political elite of South Sudan,” Yakani told VOA.
Agreement on other issues
Bishop Enock Tombe, who represented the South Sudan Council of Churches at the talks, praised Sudan for pushing the warring parties to agree on other key issues.
“Within a short time they have achieved 2½ agreements; the Khartoum declaration (on the) 27 of June, then the second one is the security arrangement and permanent cease-fire agreement. And now they are really working to finish the remaining work on the governance agreement,” Tombe told South Sudan in Focus.
Several sources at the talks said South Sudan’s parties might still sign a power-sharing agreement, although the talks were slated to end in Khartoum earlier this week.
Entebbe proposal
Information Minister Makuei said the Kiir administration will not sign any agreement that fails to include the Entebbe power-sharing proposal, which increases the number of Cabinet ministers and members of parliament but, the opposition says, ignores the core issues that led to the eruption of war in the country.
“It is clear that it will not be possible for the government of South Sudan to sign such an agreement. Because, if we sign it, this agreement will be worse than even the agreement which we are trying to revitalize now,” Makuei told South Sudan in Focus. He said if the parties do not reach an agreement on power sharing, another summit should be arranged so that remaining issues can be resolved.
The warring parties are expected to continue negotiating in Kenya, but no dates have been announced for another round of talks.
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-no-power-sharing-deal/4488976.html
https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-no-power-sharing-deal/4488976.htmlWed, 18 Jul 2018 20:26:53 -0400AfricaSouth Sudan In Focus webdesk@voanews.com (Michael Atit)https://www.voanews.com/a/south-sudan-no-power-sharing-deal/4488976.html#comments